Storage racks for sheets or plates of glass and the like



April 28 19 59 v G. A. LElG HTON 7 2,884,136

7 STORAGE RACK. FORSHEETSORPLATES' 0F GLASS AND THE LIKE Filed'nov; 27. 1953 s sneetsfsneetl INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS 's sf w v I -42 I 45 y 56 1 21 16 ululml 44 I Z0 Z0 42 v I 19 so 45 60 56 55 57 I I I u l l g l l 1 1 m 44 I l *lU-HHH a x t I. AZ 60 54 April 28, 1959 STORAGE RAck FOR SHEETS 0 PLATES OF GLASS AND THE LIKE Filed Now). 27. 1953 {sheets-sheet 2 INVENTOR.

A TTORNEYS G. A. LEIGHTON 2,884,136 4 April 28, 1959 G. A. LElGHTON 3 STORAGERACK FOR SHEETS OR PLATES OF GLASS AND THE. LIKE Filed Nov r 27, 195:5 3Sheets-Sheet 5 61 .31, 0 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS Jnited States Patent STORAGE RACKS FOR SHEETS OR PLATES OF GLASS AND THE LIKE George A. Leighton, Toledo, Ohio, assignor to Libbey- Owens-Ford Glass Company, Toledo, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application November 27, 1953, Serial No. 394,573

12 Claims. (Cl. 211-41) This invention relates broadly to the storing of relatively large sheets or plates of glass and the like. More particularly, the invention is concerned with an improved storage rack of a unitary nature and which can be readily assembled into a rigid, self-sustaining structure.

It is an aim of this invention to provide a type of storage rack which can be supplied in knocked-down condition and then assembled in a simple manner into a rigid structure adapted to accommodate a relatively large number of glass sheets or plates in a vertically supported position and in spaced relation with respect to one another.

Another object of the invention to provide a storage rack of the above character which can be easily and quickly assembled from component parts having unified features of construction.

Another object of the invention is to provide a storage rack of the above character embodying unified component parts adapted -to various arrangements of construction to accommodate sheets or plates of similar or varying dimensions.

A further object of the invention is to provide a storage rack for glass sheets wherein groups of separator members are removably supported and arranged relative to one another to support glass sheets or plates of different established bracket sizes.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a storage rack of the above character which will store glass sheets in such a manner that they are readily accessible and can be easily and quickly placed therein or removed therefrom without disturbance of the adjoining sheets so that accidental breakage of the sheets incident to the storage thereof will be greatly minimized and convenient handling of the same greatly increased.

Other objects and advantages will become more apparent during the course of the accompanying description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings, wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a storage rack constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional detail view of a portion of the storage rack;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective of an upper corner assembly of the storage rack;

Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the storage rack;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view, in plan, of a corner of the storage rack;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary, exploded perspective view of the component parts of the storage rack to illustrate the manner of assembly;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary cross-sectional detail view of the base of the storage rack taken on line 7-7 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of one form of sheet separator member employed in the storage rack;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary elevational view of a part of the separator;

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Fig. 10 is a detail sectional view of one end of the separator taken on line Ill-10 of Fig. 8;

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary elevational view of a second form of separator;

Fig. 12 is an end view of the part of the separator shown in Fig. 11, and

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary perspective of a modified form of support for the sheet separator.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, there is shown in Fig. 1 a perspective View of the improved storage rack of this invention. This storage rack includes A a base or foundation 15, vertically disposed standards 16,

longitudinal and transverse bracing members or beams 17 and 18 respectively, sheet separator members 19 and 20 and a supporting structure therefor generally designated by the numeral 21. As shown in Fig. 1, these component parts of the storage rack are arranged to accommodate and support, in spaced relation, a plurality of sheets or plates 22 of varying dimensions.

The base 15 of the storage rack is formed by longitudinally disposed wooden rails (such as 2 X 6s) 23, transverse front and rear rails 24 and 25, spacing rails 26 and a flooring generally designated 27. As shown in Fig. 6, the wood rails 23, 24 and 26 are all of the same relative height to carry the flooring 27 while the rearmost rail 25 has sufi-iciently greater height to serve as a stop and thus prevent accidental end-wise movement of the glass sheets 22 from the storage rack. Obviously, of course, if the sheets are intended to be withdrawn lfrom the opposite ends of the rack, the rail 25 may be of the same height as the rest of the rails 23, 24 or 26.

The rails 23 to 26, inclusive, are secured together by any suitable means, such as nails or wood-screws, to form a platform or foundation for the planks 28 forming the floor 27. These are equipped in their upper surface with longitudinally extending grooves 29 adapted to receive the lower edges of sheets 22 and to support the same in spaced relation. Preferably, the grooves 29 in planks 28 are arranged to coincide with the spaces between the separators 19 and 20 as will be hereinafter more fully described. The planks 28 are secured to the tops of rails 23, 24 and 26 by means of wood-screws 30 which are received in counter bores 31 provided in certain of the grooves 29 (Fig. 7) and spaced therealong according to the spacing between the front rail 23 and spacing rails 26.

To the rails 23, forming the sides of the base 15, are secured the vertically disposed standards 16 which are arranged adjacent the corners thereof and midway therebetween. Each of the standards along one side of the base are interconnected by a beam 17 and in transversely related pairs by a beam 18. This assembled relationship along one side and at the front of the storage rack as shown in Fig. l, is typical of the opposite side and the other pairs of standards. Accordingly, in assembling the said beams and standards, a disclosure of the means for securing one pair will by typical of the other pairs.

For the purpose of illustration, the standards 16 and beams 17 and 18 are of a substantially square tubular formation wherein one side is formed to provide a continuous slot 32 as shown in Fig. 2. On the other hand, the standards 16 and beams 17 may be of structural angle stock and the beams 18 of structural channel to provide the same rigid construction when assembled. However, and as shown in Fig. 2, the slotted side of these tubular formed members is adapted to support a concealed and especially formed, spring-pressed nut 33 which is held against accidental slippage to materially facilitate the ease of assembly. Cap-screws 34 may accordingly be readily threaded into the nuts 33 without special tools or inconvenient handling and when the same have been suitably disposed along the slot 32 in relation to a member to be secured to the outer wall of the slot.

The standards 16 are arranged along the side base rails 23 and are firmly secured thereto by means of capscrews 34 which are inserted through suitably drilled holes in the rails and threaded into nuts 33. Preferably, in each instance, a washer 35 is interposed between the inner surface of the wood rail and the head of the cap-screw to provide adequate bearing for the screw as it is turned firmly into the nut.

The longitudinally and transversely disposed beams 17 and 18 are joined to the standards 16 adjacent their upper ends by means of especially formed fittings or brackets 36. These brackets are so formed as to provide a plurality of engaging surfaces and generally resemble a broadened W in appearance. In Fig. 6, it will thus be seen that there are two outwardly directed wings 37 disposed at substantially a right angle and legs 38 formed by inversely bending the wings to a right angle in the corner formed by their juncture. Each of the wings 37 and legs 38 are commonly provided with aligned screw-holes so that, as is indicated, the wing 37a, vertically disposed, may be secured to a standard 16 while the then horizontally disposed wing 37b will be secured to a beam 18. The 'beam 17 is received between the legs 38 of the bracket and therein secured by screws to the horizontally disposed leg thereof.

If desired, an additional beam 17 may be located substantially midway between the standards 16, at each pair of the same, and secured on the transverse beams 18 by means of brackets 39 that are generally U-shaped in profile to receive the said beam 17 and have outwardly directed wings 40. The brackets 39 are suitably provided with openings to connect the beam 17 thereto and in a like manner be secured to the beam 18. As herein provided, each of the beams 18 is formed to afford means for attachment of associated parts to either of two opposed surfaces and thus may be of a typical tubular structure but wherein two of said sections are connected together with slotted surfaces being directed outwardly and opposed to one another. The brackets 36 and 39 accordingly are attached on associated beam 18 along one, and particularly an upper, slotted surface and certain parts of the supporting structure 21 are in a like manner affixed by screws to the opposite or underneath slotted surface.

As previously stated, the floor planks 28 have formed in the upper surface thereof the grooves 29 for receiving the lower edges of the sheets 22 which will be maintained in spaced relation by the ridges 41. This spaced relation is carried out along the upper margins of the sheets by means of the separators 19 and 20 that are supported in substantially vertical alignment with the ridges 41 and so that the spacing between said separators will generally be aligned with the grooves 29. More particularly, the separators 19 and 20 are carried by the structure 21 in their vertically aligned positions at suitably located elevations to accommodate varying widths of glass sheets or a similar width of sheet depending upon their respective locations of elevation. As herein shown, the storage rack, as a unitary structure, is adapted for use in storing a variety of dimensional widths of sheets or plates of glass which are supplied in what is known as bracketsize, or, in other words, generally having commercially standardized dimensions, as for example in the warehouse of a relatively small glass supplying jobber. Thus, the floor planks 28 are provided with a suflicient number of grooves 29 to accommodate eleven sheets of glass although, of course, this number may be varied by a different spacing of the grooves. Likewise, six planks are employed to afford the flooring 27 of the rack. Accordingly sixty-six sheets can be stored in the rack and, in the embodiments of my invention hereindescribed, this number of sheets will be arranged in groups of five different 4 l and 20 are arranged in different horizontal and vertical planes to accommodate sheets of varying dimensions.

For this purpose, a separator hanger 42 is provided in the form of a letter J which, in mounted position, is inverted and includes a long leg portion 43, a short leg 44 and a web 45. The hanger 42 is equipped with suitable holes for receiving the necessary screws for its assembly. To carry the separators 19 and 20, a horizontally disposed rod 46 is secured at its opposite ends in the legs 43 and 44. The hanger has a width substantially equal to that of the individual planks 28 and so as to support the separators in a' downwardly step-wise arrangement to provide five general sections having differing vertical dimensions. The supporting structure 21 thus includes the hangers42 and suitable brackets for mounting the same in their proper positions.

These brackets for mounting the hangers 42 comprise two general forms; one generally U- or channel-shaped and identified by the numbers 47, 48, 49, 50 and 51 and the other, L-shaped and identified by numbers 52, 53 and 54. While the especially formed brackets of each form are similar, separate numbers have been given for clarity of their designated positions. The channel brackets are adapted to receive screws through the legs 55 thereof and are generally positioned with the web 56 in a vertical plane. On the other hand, the L-shaped brackets are equipped with screw-holes in their short leg 57 which is vertically positioned for attachment to a standard 16 while the longer leg 58 is horizontally disposed and provided with similar screw-holes spaced in agreement with the desired positioning of the hangers 42 and channel brackets 47 to 51 inclusive.

In assembling the supporting structure 21 and at each of the pairs of standards 16, for purposes of illustration, a pair of hangers 42 are located in the upper left-hand corner of the storage rack, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4 and at the juncture of a standard 16 and one end of the associated beam 18. Preferably, the longer leg 43 of one hanger 42 is positioned against and attached by cap-screw 34 to the nut 33 carried in the standard 16. Screws 34 then secure the web 45 of said hanger to the under surface of beam 18. If desired, a relatively small angle clip 59 may be located at the opposite end of the beam 18 and by screws further attach this end to the adjoining standard 16.

The second hanger 42 is positioned with the leg 43 thereof in abutting contact with the short leg 44 of the first hanger and is attached in a similar manner to the widths. Therefore, the groups of separator members 19 )15 beam 18. The channel bracket 47 is now located with the web 56 thereof abutting the leg 44 of the second hanger and so that one or the uppermost leg 55 can be secured to the beam 18. The L-bracket 52 is connected by the leg 57 to the right-hand standard 16 (as shown) and with the leg 58 thereof positioned in engagement with the lowermost leg 55 of bracket 47. The channel bracket 48, serving as a brace, is located in spaced relation to bracket 47 and secured by screws 34 to the beam 18 and by nut and screw connections 60 to leg 58 of bracket 52.

The next, or third, hanger 42 is mounted by means of nut and screw connections 60, which in one instance interjoin the adjacent leg 55 of bracket 47, the extreme end of leg 58 of bracket 52 and one corner area of the hanger and, in the other, the opposite corner of the hanger and the leg 58. The channel bracket 49 is mounted in abutting contact with leg 44 of the third hanger and connected to leg 58 of bracket 52 by connections 60. The L-bracket 53 is now positioned so that the extreme end of its leg 58 will horizontally engage the lowermost leg 55 of bracket 49 and with the upwardly directed leg 57 thereof secured to the adjacent standard 16 by cap-screws 34.

The fourth hanger 42 is connected to the bracket 53 by means of nut and screw connections 60, such connections in one instance passing through the lowermost leg of bracket 49, leg of bracket 53 and web 45 of said hanger and in, the other, through the web 45 and leg 58.

In a like manner, namely the connections 60, 'the uppermost leg 55 of channel bracket50 is attached to .the leg 58. The L-bracket 54 is attached to the right-hand standard 16 by screws 34 passing through holes in the short leg 57 thereof and with the leg 58 in spaced horizontal relation to the similar leg 58 of bracket 53.

In a similar manner, the fifth hanger 42 and the channel bracket 51 are connected to the leg 58 of bracket 54. The sixth hanger 42 is secured to the lowermost leg 55 of bracket 51 by nut and screw connections 60' passing through said leg and web 45. In this instance, the leg 44 of the hanger is equipped with a screw-hole for receiving a cap-screw 34 that is threaded into a nut 33 contained within the adjacent standard 16. And this arrangement of assembled parts of the structure 21 is carried out at each of the pairs of standards 16 of the storage rack. The long leg 43 of hangers 42 and the web 56 of brackets 47 to 51 thus provide vertical reinforcing walls to resist lateral thrust imposed on the separators 19 and 20 by the sheets or plates of glass and thereby restrict pivotalmotion of the separator panels.

The separators 19 and 20 that are c'arriedby the rods 46 of hangers 42 are all of a relative dimensional size as shown in Fig. 8. That is, they are of a length equal to the length of the rack and of a common width to provide sufficient drop to adequately space the upper edges of the glass sheets 22. The separators 19 are thus formed by a sheet or panel 61 of suitable composition material, such as, for example, pressed-board which is preferably provided with a smoothfinish on both surfaces to prevent scratching of the glass surfaces. Along the upper edge of each separator panel, a plurality of blocks 62 are secured which may be of wood. The blocks 62 serve as spacers between the separator panels 61. The separators 20 are similarly formed except that the blocks 62 are interposed between two panels 61, enabling the separators 20 to be employed at one side of the groups of separators 19 as they are arranged on the rods 46 of hangers 42.

The upper edges of the separators 19 and 20 are similarly formed at each end and in their central portion with bayonet-type slots 63, to receive and contain the rods 46, said slots having an outwardly directed, vertically disposed entry end 64, a horizontal cross slot 65 and a vertically disposed closed end 66. At the opposite end, the separators are provided with a vertically disposed closed slot 67 opening downwardly into a horizontally disposed cross and entry slot 68. This produces a substantially notched-out corner area 69. Preferably the closed ends 66 of slots 63 are practically double the width of slot 67 to allow for normal expansion and/or contraction of the panels 61 in ordinary warehouse conditions both as to temperature and humidity which might otherwise cause marring of the glass surfaces as by scratching.

In Fig. 13, a modified form of separator is shown in which the bayonettype slots are not employed. This separator member 70 is provided with hanger elements 71 that are formed with a hook shaped upper end 72 for engaging the rod 46 and lower end 73 adapted to be secured as by rivets or the like to the panel 74.

In mounting the separators 19 on the rods. 46 of hangers 42, each is placed in a vertical position with the entry ends 64 of the slots 63 in registration with said rods. The separators are then raised and moved horizontally as the rods 46 pass through the entry slots 64 and into the horizontal cross slots 65 and 68. The separator finally is lowered to positively locate the rods 46 in the closed ends 66 and 67. The last separator 19 is positioned so that the spacer blocks 62 will engage one surface of the separator 20 which thus provides both walls or partitions of the last space in which a sheet or plate of glass or the like will be received for storing.

In the event that the storage rack is to be assembled for the purpose of storing less than the various widths 75 of glass sheets, herein shown, its construction may be easily modified by employing brackets of suitable length. For example, if only two sizes of sheets or plates are to be stored, then the first three or more hangers 42 and the bracket 47 will be secured to the beam 18 and the remainder of the hangers 42 will be similarly connected to an L-bracket, such as the bracket 53, the parts being secured as previously described. Further than this, it is contemplated that in the event relatively narrow sheets are to be stored, as for example, sheets normally stored in the lower group of separators as herein shown, it is contemplated that multiple units of the rack may be used if desired with a second rack of similar construction to the rack of Figs. 1 through 13 being positioned on top of the rack of Figs. 1 through 13. According to the invention, there is thus provided a rigid storage rack for glass sheets or the like which can be rapidly and conveniently constructed from the knocked-down grouping of parts into a self-sustaining unit. This rack also provides in a novel manner means for modifying the structure thereof to accommodate such dimensional sizes of sheets as are desired to be, stored therein.

It is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred embodiment of the same, but that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

I claim:

1. In a storage rack for sheets or plates of glass and the like, a supporting frame, means for supporting the sheets in a vertical position at their lower edges, a plurality of transverse supports carried by the frame arranged in vertically spaced relation to one another and being of progressively increasing lengths from the lowermost support to the uppermost support, hangers carried by said transverse supports and arranged transversely of one another at different horizontal levels, and separator members carried by each of the hangers and adapted to receive the upper portions of the sheets therebetween, said separator members having attachment means for rendering the separator members independently removable from the hanger.

2. A storage rack of the character defined in claim 1, in which the separator members are in the form of vertically disposed panels removably carried by the hangers and further, in which said hangers are provided with means for limiting transverse and rotational movement of the said separator panels.

3. A storage rack of the character defined in claim 1, in which the hangers are provided with supporting elements and the separator members are in the form of vertically disposed panels and are provided with bayonet slots for removably receiving said supporting elements and for permitting expansion and contraction of said panels.

4. In a storage rack for sheets or plates of glass and the like, a supporting frame structure, means for supporting the sheets in a vertical position at their lower edges, a plurality of transverse supports carried by said supporting frame structure, a hanger carried by said transverse supports, and a plurality of separator members carried by said hanger, said separator members having attachment means for rendering the separator members independently removable from the hanger.

5. A storage rack of the character defined in claim 4, in which the separator members have width maintaining members for providing a space between the separator members.

6. In a storage rack for sheets or plates of glass and the like, a supporting frame structure, a plurality of transverse supports carried by said supporting frame structure, a hanger carried by said transverse supports, and a plurality of separator members carried by said hanger, said hanger having vertically depending stop means for restricting horizontal and pivotal motion of the separator members.

7. In a storage rack for sheets or plates of glass and the like, a supporting frame structure, a plurality of transverse supports of different lengths carried by said supporting frame structure a hanger carried by said transverse supports, and a plurality of separator members carried by said hanger, said separator members having attachment means for rendering the separator members independently removable from the hanger and said hanger having vertically depending stop means for restricting horizontal and pivotal motion of the separator members.

8. In a storage rack for sheets or plates of glass and the like, a supporting frame, means for supporting the sheets in a vertical position at their lower edges, a plurality of transverse supports carried by the frame arranged in vertically spaced relation to one another and being of different lengths to provide a "step-down arrangement, hangers carried by said transverse supports and arranged transversely of one another at different horizontal levels, and separator members carried by each of the hangers and adapted to receive the upper portions of the glass sheets therebetween, said hangers having vertically depending stop means for restricting horizontal and pivotal motion of the separator members.

9. A storage rack of the character defined in claim 8, in which the separator members have width maintaining members for providing a space between the separator members.

10. In a storage rack for sheets or plates of glass and the like, a supporting frame, means for supporting the sheets in a vertical position at their lower edges, a plurality of transverse supports carried by the frame arranged in vertically spaced relation to one another and being of different lengths to provide a step-down arrangement,.'hangers carried by said transverse supports and arranged transversely of one another at different horizontal levels, and separator members carried by each of the hangers and adapted to receive the upper portions of the glass sheets therebetween, said separator members having attachmentmeans for rendering the separator members independently removable from the hanger and said hangers having vertically depending stop means for restricting horizontal and pivotal motion of the separator members.

11. A storage rack of the character defined in claim 10, in which the attachment means of the separator members are bayonet slots.

12. A storage rack of the character defined in claim 10, in which, the separator members have width maintaining members for providing a space between the separator members.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,272,207 Bullen July 9, 1918 1,393,771 Goedde Oct. 18, 1921 1,902,338 Riley Mar. 21, 1933 1,921,656 Bun-ell Aug. 8, 1933 2,329,815 Attwood Sept. 21, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS 21,023/29 Australia June 2, 1930 

